Amusement ride device



March 25, 1958 M. R. CASTILLE 2,323,128 AMUSEMENT RiDE DEVICE.

'Filed Dec. 10, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. Michel Rehe Cas/i/le INVENTOR.

' March 25, 1958 M. R. CASTILLE AMUSEMENT RIDE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 10, 1956 M/bbe/ Rene Casi/Ila INVENTOR.

Attorney:

United States Patent 2,828,128 AMUSEMENT Rum DEVICE Michel Rene Castille, Opelousas, La. Application December 10, 1956, Serial No. 627,223 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-46) The present invention generally relates to an amusement device and more particularly to an amusement ride specifically adapted for use in conjunction with amusement parks, carnivals, fairs or the like in which persons riding the device will receive thrills from the movements imparted to them by the mechanism of the device.

An object of the present invention is to provide an amusement ride device for the purpose of providing thrills to the riders and which is specifically adapted for creating an illusion of being thrown into space but actually moves about a horizontal axis while rotating about a radial axis with the passenger carrying carts being movably mounted on an arm perpendicular to the radial axis which moves or swings in a most unique manner during operation of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an amusement ride device which is extremely simple in construction, well adapted for its intended purposes, provided with movements and sensations not heretofore em ployed in amusement rides, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference'being hadto the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the amusement ridedevice of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating one of the radially extending arms with the passenger carrying seats mounted thereon; and

Figure 4 is a detailed view illustrating a modified form of occupant cart mounted on the arm perpendicular to the radial axis of rotation.

Referring now specifically to, the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the amusement ride device of the present invention. This device generally includes a pair of uprightsupport members 12 having inclined braces 14 forming a base and support together with a power source generally designated by numeral 16 which may be any conventional power source such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor with a suitable clutch mechanism being provided so that the operator of the ride device may properly control operation of the device. The details of the support members 12 and braces 14 may be altered for permitting a construction which may be easily disassembled or assembled which is necessary in devices of this nature which accompany carnivals or fairs while an amusement park may have a permanent type of supporting mechanism along with an associated entrance ramp or landing area. A chain drive is illustrated as including an endless drive chain 18 being driven from the power source 16 and provided with idler sprockets 20 together with an enlarged drive gear 22 secured 'to the point of intersection of four radial arms each of which is generally designated by numeral 24 and each of which is substantially identical in construction. The radial arms 24 are journaled on a transverse rod 26 mounted in a bracket 28 on the upright supports 12. The drive sprocket 22 may be attached to the arms 24 in any suitable manner with the sprocket 22 being in alignment with a sprocket driven from the power source 16 whereby the radial arms 24 may be caused to rotate about the transverse rod 26 which is stationary and which has a stationary central gear 30 mounted thereon.

Each of the arms generally designated by the numeral 24 includes a pair of spaced parallel rails 32 interconnected by an end member 34 with the transverse shaft 36 being disposed substantially between the centers of the side rails 32. Each of the transverse shafts 36 has an enlarged gear 38 journaled thereon with the enlarged gear 38 being in meshing engagement with the enlarged stationary gear 30 whereby the gear 38 will roll around the gear 30 as the arms 24 are revolved about their rotational center defined by transverse rod 26.

Disposed against one face of the gear 38 is a bevel gear 40 which is rigid therewith and is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 42 mounted on the inner end of an elongated radial shaft 44 having the inner end thereof journaled in a brace member 46 extending parallel to the end member 34. A radial brace 48 is provided between the brace member 46 and the end member 44 for reinforcing the brace member 46. The radial shaft 44 is journaled in bearing means 50 in the end member 34 which incorporates a thrust hearing as well as rotational bearing construction for retaining the bevel gears 40 and 42 in meshing engagement. The outer end of the radial shaft 44 is provided with an offset portion 52 extending in perpendicular relation to the radial shaft 44 with a pair of stop collars 54 being mounted thereon with the stop collars being held in position by setscrew means 56. The collars 54 may have cushion means 58 against the inner surface thereof for cushioning the movement of a supporting roller arrangement generally designated by the numeral 60 thereon. The roller. arrangement 60 includes a hanger 62 having a roller 64 journaled therein withthe roller 64 being movably mounted on that portion of the offset end 52 between the'collars 54. A passenger carrying cart generally designated by the numeral 66 is suspended from the hanger 62 with the passenger carrying cart 66 including a seat 68, a safety strap 70 and an enlarged entrance opening'72 wherein persons may occupy the passenger carrying cart 66 and be suspended from the olfset end portions 52 of the rods 44. The particular shape, size and details of the occupant carts 66 may be altered as' desired. As illustrated in Figures 1-3,'the passenger carrying carts 66 are supported from a single suspension or support 60 whereas in Figure 4, the passenger carrying cart 66 is supported by a pair of supporting bracket assemblies 60 which are of identical construction to the bracket assembly 60 but reduces the swinging or swaying action of the passenger carrying cart 66 during the movement on the offset end 'portion 52 during rotation of the ride device.

It is pointed out that brace wires 74 may be provided between the outer ends of the arm assemblies 24 and any other brace means deemed necessary or desirable may be employed and-the entire arrangement may be constructed in such a manner that it may be easily disassembled and easily transported from one location to another.

In operation, the persons desiring to ride the device are seated in the seats 68 in a manner well known wherein the operator of the ride may load the device in a manner so that it will be generally balanced. After the operator begins the operation of the device, the drive chain 18 will cause the radial arms 24 to rotate about the hori- Paitented Mar. 25,

zontal center formedby transverse rod 26. The gears 38 will roll about the central gear 30 thus causing rotation of the radial shafts about radial axes thus swinging the offset end portion 52 about the radial axis. During this swinging: operation, the roller 64 will swing in a manner that the passenger carrying cart 66 will always-depend therefrom since the roller 64 will swing about generally the longitudinal axis of the offset end portion 52 and as the offset end portion 52 rotates about the radial axis of.

the shaft 44, the roller 64 will roll from a position adjacent the outermost collar to a position adjacent the innermost collar and vice versa thus giving the riders or occupants the illusion of actually moving outwardly into space or actually giving the riders a thrill since. they will at the same time be proceeding around the axis formed by transverse rod 26. V

As the roller 64 swings back and forth between the stop collars 54, the passenger carrying cart 66 will he swung generally about the axle of the roller 64 at the same time as it is being moved about the'horizontal axis formedabout transverse rod 26 and may also swing about a generally longitudinal axis of the offset end portion 52 thus providing a highly unpredictable ride having unexpected movements in various directions thus providing thrills to the riders due to the unexpected movement in an unexpected direction. 7

The device of Figure 4 operates in substantially the same manner as the device of Figures l-3 with the exception that the two spaced rollers 64' reduce the swinging action of the passenger carrying cart 66 since it eiiminates the swinging about substantially the axle of rotation of the rollers 64' due to the spaced nature of the rollers 64'. This arrangement may be preferred by certain riders inasmuch as the thrill of the ride is slightly reduced inasmuch as the simultaneous movements of the carts in various directions are reduced. 7

The ride device may be constructed with all of the single support bracket assemblies 60 or with all of double support bracket assemblies 60 or with any combination of the two. Also, it is pointed out that more than four radial arm assemblies 24 may be provided as long as sufficient clearance is provided between the carts to prevent any contacts therebetween. As clearly seen in Figure 1, the passenger carrying cart 66 will roll along the offset end portion 52 substantially at equal spaced intervals about the center wherein rolling movement along the portion 52 will occur four times during a single revolution of a passenger carrying cart and it is also noted that the persons or occupants of the passenger carrying cart will generally be facing in various directions during the time of revolving around the horizontal center thus adding to the enjoyment of the ride device.

While no specific dimensions have been suggested, it is pointed out that the various elements must be sufiiciently strong for carrying the necessary weight and also must have a certain safety factor so that the device will operate in a safe manner. No details of the safety strap have been illustrated since these are standard equipment on thrill type rides in carnivals and the like and since the passenger carrying carts 66 pass very close to the ground and in substantially the same position when they pass adjacent the ground surface, there need not be any elevated loading platforms since the passenger carrying carts may be loaded directly from the ground surface by the occupants stepping upwardly into the passenger carrying carts. I p

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and'equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the inven tion as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An amusement ride device comprising a pair of upstanding supports having a stationary transverse rod mounted thereon, said transverse rod having a stationary gear thereon, a plurality of radially extending arm assemblies rotatable on said rod, means for rotating said arm assemblies about the transverse rod, a radially extending shaft journaled oneach radial arm assembly, an offset end formed integrally with said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom, means for mounting a passenger carrying seat on said oifset end for movement along said end, and means interconnecting the radial shaft and the stationary gear for imparting movement about a radial axis to the radial shaft during rotation of the arm assemblies about the stationary gear. I 2. An amusement ride device comprising a pair 'of upstanding supports having a stationary'transverse rod mounted thereon, said transverse rod having a'stationary gear thereon, a plurality of radially extending arm assemblies rotatable on said rod, means for rotating said arm assemblies about the transverse rod, a radially extending shaft journaled on each radial arm assembly, an offset end formed integrally with said shaft and ex,- tending perpendicularly therefrom, means for mounting a passenger carrying seat on said offset end fo'r movement along said end, and means interconnecting the radial shaft andthe stationary gear for imparting movement about a radial axis to the radial shaft during rotation of the arm assemblies about the stationary gear, said means interconnecting thestationary gear and the radial shaft including an enlarged gear in meshing engagement with the stationary gear and meshing'bevelgears on the enlarged gear and the radial arm respectively.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said mounting means includes a roller whereby said passenger carrying seat is free to roll along .said offset end.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

